I’ve been doing some traveling lately; my particular highlight of my trip to Vienna is my annual lecture at the Vienna Technological College where I talked on brain development as well as chemical processes which drive the development of the brain e.g. blood fractionation. I’ve also managed to meet up with my old friend Kat and we chatted a little about our times back in Princeton.

I am now back in my lab, and am preparing my lectures on subliminal influences for the new freshman class.

Michela, Brian, Lee Zher and Chad Classen:- I look forward to working closely with you!

There are three kinds of males around: the Alpha (the most Alpha, while he still knows how to compromise), and then of course, there’s the Submissive kind. They are the ones who get into marriage and usually let their wives wear the pants in the relationship. They are the ones who get too easily pressured into doing something, the ones who say that they do what they do (aka what they are told to do) because they don’t want any fights. But more often than not, they are just scared of losing the argument so they just don’t bother. Look here for some basic dating advice for men.

While this may work in marriage (to the wives, mostly), being this submissive ‘Yes, honey’ kind of guy may be a little challenging when you’re trying to pick women up. After all, most women are really after assertive, confident men who know what they want. That, and the fact that you could fall prey to the friendzoning women of the lot – those who know how to manipulate the weak ones of the lot.

A self-confessed submissive man? Here are some dating tips that will not only help you get through the difficult parts of dating, but will also help you get through it with a woman in hand:

Learn how to compromise. The thing about most people is that they mistake compromise for giving up to the wishes of the other person. The truth of the matter is, compromise is learning to negotiate to meet each other halfway. If you can’t be persuasive enough to get what you want, you can work towards getting what is good for the both of you.

Speak honestly without fear of getting rejected. Sometimes, you just have to do it. You just have to be honest about what you want and what you don’t want – you don’t always have to agree on everything to make a good couple. So be honest, she’ll appreciate you for it!

Before giving in to her every wish, ask yourself why you would want to give in. Is it to make her happy? Is it to avoid conflicts? How do you honestly feel about giving in to what she’s asking for? Are you doing it because you want it or because you’re pressured to do so?

Be decisive. Your being submissive might cause her to be demanding (well, you’re very encouraging about it, after all). So maybe the first step towards being a bit more assertive is being decisive. Don’t let her make all the decisions. The lines ‘whatever you want’ or ‘whatever you thinks is better’ is only sensitive for the first few dates; after that, it becomes an invitation to boss you around. It isn’t always the sweetest way to go so learn how to take the driver’s seat too!

Being submissive isn’t all that bad, take that from a woman’s perspective, but do know how to use it well otherwise you’d end up being pushed and pulled around against your will.

It does not matter if you’re traveling for business or for pleasure; if you’re a single guy and you’re going on a trip, these tips are for you.See, traveling is one of the most perfect places to meet the ladies. You’ll get to see different types of ladies, not the generic party kind you meet in bars, more than just your average good girls at the Sunday service, and maybe tons hotter than the girls at your gym’s yoga class.

And because of this infinite opportunity to meet females on your trip, whether it’s by ship, by bus, by train, by plane, and maybe even by car, you have to be ready. You have to always be ready and on the lookout for the ladies you’re bound to meet on the trip, at your hotel bar, or at the beach.

Travel Essentials

For starters, here are some travel essentials for every single guy; these are the things that would help you greatly in making sure that you are ready to meet and mingle with women wherever and whenever:

A good wardrobe. You should have wardrobe that should fit your every itinerary. If you’re going on a business trip, you’d likely be supposed to wear a suit so that should already be in your list. But unless you’re going to your business meeting straight from the airport, you would be great with a plane outfit. Make sure you also have clothes for going out, two pairs of jeans (dark one and light one), and always have fresh undies. You wouldn’t want to wind up in bed with a lady and turn her off with your two-day old, stinky briefs. Eww! Make sure you also have a good pair of shoes to fit all of your clothes – you cannot possibly bring your entire shoe collection just to match every little outfit so at least have one pair that fits all.

A good book. Books are not just a great way to pass time; they are also a perfect bait for conversations with girls when you’re on a waiting time. So whether you’re waiting to board your plane, or while the train is in motion, or maybe even when you’re sitting on the beachside trying to get a tan. Your book will attract more meaningful conversations than your abs! Good like PUADatabase.com guide to become the alpha male.

Deo, toothbrush, breath spray, mints, and other hygiene essentials. You can’t go on a trip and leave your manners and good hygiene at home. It is even more important when you go out. Buy a toiletry bag that could fit all of them in one place without you having to rummage through your entire luggage for when you need them. And besides, a good pack of mints is a good conversation starter. (Thanks for the idea Mentos and Tic Tacs).

A trusty music player. Forget about the baggy Beats by Dr Dre headphones, you’re not Justin Beiber. You could survive well on your trusty ol’ music player (or your smartphone) and some decent looking earplugs. They work just like books!

Your man accessories. Shades always add a touch of mystery and pizzazz to any look; the right bracelet and watch can add an entirely new dimension to a look.

If you ask me, Valentine’s isn’t exactly the most romantic time of the year. I must have seen one too many of Christmas movies, read a little too much of my Christmas romance novels that I believe Christmas is the most romantic season of any year. There’s just a certain glow, a generally merry and nice atmosphere, and a certain kind of warmth in this season that makes you believe in miracles and falling in love. It’s like everyone is just ready to find love anywhere at this season!

Where to date her?

If you’re one like me who gets this kind of Christmas bug, you might be out looking for dates or dating ideas for your Christmas romance; or you might be one simple boyfriend who just wants to give his girl a special holiday treat with a romantic Christmas date. Either way, here are some really helpful tips on how to give your girl a memorable, sweet, and really romantic Yuletide date:

Ice Skating. It doesn’t matter whether you live in a tropical country or you live in Norway where snow begins as early as November. Christmas is the perfect time to go ice skating. You don’t have to be an ice skater to enjoy this very authentic Christmas-y date! So what are you waiting for? Head on over to your local ice skating park (or mall/theme park for those who live in the tropics), put on your winter gear, and be ready to fall in love a la Ice Princess and Ice Prince. But while this is the perfect chance to get unintentionally intimate, what with the hugging and holding that amateur ice skaters get to experience, don’t forget your manners and practice etiquette in touching a lady. She should know that you’re not one to take advantage of the situation and that you’re a gentleman through and through!

Christmas theme park date. Every year, in most every city, there is always a Christmas themed amusement to rise up only once a year. If there is one place in your entire city that could give you all that Christmas goodness and warmth it should be this place so go ahead and make her feel like your very own Christmas princess. Don’t forget to get goodies and souvenirs and tons and tons of photos! This will definitely work, don’t make her feel neglected.

Go on a night picnic and spend the evening stargazing. In most countries of the world (except for those living in the lower part of the globe), Christmas time is always the coldest time of the year. And with the cold comes the need for tons of snuggles. What better way to bank on the cold nights and get all snuggly than on a night picnic to go stargazing? If you live in a snow-filled country, improvise by having a picnic by the balcony armed with some hot coco and a trusty ol’ telescope. Oh, and don’t forget the blanket too! Nothing can be more romantic than a star-filled December night with hot coco while sharing a blanky with your special someone!

Volunteer at the local soup kitchen. Christmas is the time of giving, and what could be better than to offer your time for the sake of our less fortunate brothers and sisters? This will not only impress her, with you being socially conscious and all, but it will actually make you feel good inside knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone else’s life in your own little way.

Did you know that women feel more easily neglected than men? And the worst part is, women can feel it without you knowing it; or that you’ve been doing something that makes them feel neglected! You know how most women can easily jump into conclusions and make assumptions about you not loving them and about how insignificant they feel in the relationship. The last thing you want is for them to be secretly feeling neglected, bubbling up, and bursting into a big breakup mess – that’s a much, much bigger mess to clean up.

What Makes Her Feel Neglected

So while I can go on forever about how to make your girlfriend feel loved, I can better tell you more easily and much more quickly how to avoid the mistakes that your fellow gentlemen have unintentionally committed. Here are 5 things that you do that makes your girlfriend feel neglected (aka the things that you had better stop doing if you still want to make part of the other half of your relationship):

Not listening to her. Women love men who listen; it makes them feel like they are important to you, that what they have to say actually matter to you. And the moment you show any sign of disinterest – texting someone else while she’s talking, talking about something else without making an intelligible reaction over what she has just said, or simply not saying anything – these can all make her feel unloved. And more than just feeling unloved, the female brain more often than not tries to make up stories and reasons as to why the reaction (or the non-reaction).

Making decisions without consulting her. So you decided to go out with your buddies on a totally random, last minute plan and of course, you tell her last minute too. Not to mention, the way you told her was in a declarative tone and not in a question – wherein you are merely FYI-ing her about your decision and not actually consulting her about it. If you are guilty of doing this on tons of things about your life, I bet ya she’s already made a list of it in her brain and so much ready to tell you about it on your next big fight. Of course she wants to be part of your life; of course she wants to know that her opinion matters to you. Duh!

Not introducing her to friends or at least not doing it properly. This can be very petty but this is a real problem. When you take her to meet your buddies or officemates, in a scenario where she’s already feeling outcasted and out of place, you have to make her feel like she is a part of you. She needs your comfort; she needs to know that your attention is on her and that you’re proud to have her around. Petty, yes. Necessary, double yes.

When you forget about important dates and events. Forgetting her birthday is one thing; forgetting about her mother’s birthday that she has been planning for weeks – now that’s a double whammy and you’re surely sleeping elsewhere. A woman can remember everything and so, even when it could be almost impossible physically to have you remember everything the way she does, she would still expect it from you. If you can’t remember it, write it. Pin it. Alarm it on your phone. Just! Do!

Not getting jealous. Believe it or not, being jealous at her ex or at the guy who’s hitting on her will make her comfortable to some point. She needs to know that she is important enough for you to not want to share her with anyone else. She needs to know that you want her to belong to you. Keep the jealousy in healthy proportions and healthy reactions though.

So which of these things have you been most guilty of?

By the way, thanks for the good feedback on my last blog post. Expect more advice and tips!

Here I am again after a period of time, hope this one will help you all like my last blog post. Enjoy reading!

Cheating is one of the most common, most frustrating reasons why couples break up.

And no one is fully spared from it. It can happen to anyone – even to the strongest, most stable, most fairytale-ish of relationships. And yes, it can happen to your own relationship.

The thing about cheating is that it can happen in a snap, not all of it is fully planned. It can come from that one small moment of vulnerability, like being drunk at a party and ended up kissing another girl, or being stressed at your relationship and at home that she ended up having sex with her officemate. Sure there was some form of decision-making in there, but more often than not, it’s the body that just simply gives away when the mind was too weak to control it.

Or it can happen in a brief moment of revenge or forgetfulness. It can come when you or your partner is dazed and unhappy with your relationships and an opportunity to cheat and escape it all even for a brief moment of betrayal presents itself.

And those are the moments that you have to guard your relationship from. Because even the most loyal, best of girlfriends and boyfriends in the world who swore against cheating could commit it when they are subjected to these stressfully weak moments.

Cheat-Proof Relationship

Cheat-proofing your relationship is not about being possessive or rejecting the idea of letting your girlfriend go anywhere without you. Cheat-proofing your relationship efficiently means building a good foundation in your relationship in such a way that she’d never have to think about wanting to be out of the relationship even for the slightest moment, and never putting yourselves in a situation where you could end up in vulnerability.

Always renew your relationship. Take quality time out with each other regularly. This will keep your love alive.

Improve your communication. It can never get perfect, it can only get better. Always be honest to each other about everything just as much as you open your minds for each other. The smallest secret can spark a big cheating mistake.

Do not be too tight on each other. Sometimes, exaggerated possessiveness drive partners out of the relationship and cheating becomes that brief moment of freedom.

Never fail to make an effort to make each other happy. Spoil your girlfriend every now and then as she does the same to you. This will not only keep you both happy in the relationship; it will also keep you reminded of your duties as a lover.

Don’t be afraid to try new things especially in bed. Add some excitement to your sex life to keep you both interested. Routine can cause boredom.

Avoid being at wild parties without each other. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry, and it so applies in this situation. You wouldn’t have to worry about ending up kissing another woman if you never get drunk in the first place.

Avoid being too exclusively close on another person. It sounds like comfortable friendship now between you and the girl on the next cubicle, but it may not be the same when you’re on a fight with your girlfriend. She may have to forego those exclusive dates with her guy BFF too!

To women, there are two basic and essential elements that constitute a good and memorable date: (1) the person they are on a date with, and (2) what happened during the date. Even when you are possibly the best, most charming, most lovable date in the world, if you took her to something too plain and too simple a date, you may not have nailed the date to a perfect 100%.

When planning an awesome unforgettable date, here’s one bit to remember: make sure that the objective of every date you take a special woman to is to charm her with who you are and make her feel special enough on your date that she wouldn’t forget you for it.

Ideas for your special date

Spa Date. What better way to make a woman feel special than take her on a spa date?! Gentlemen, spa dates are no longer reserved to old couples, bachelorette parties, and honeymooning couples. Your local spa can be your new date best friend. Get a soothing, relaxing, invigorating massage and body scrub together; pamper yourselves in their scented pool baths or Jacuzzi while sharing a bottle or two of wine. She’d not only thank you for making her feel like a Queen; she will associate you with the happy, relaxed feeling she gets afterwards.

Golfing. It’s serene. The views are awesome and picture perfect. And if you’re lucky, the food at the clubhouse is almost always decent enough for a not-so-formal date. What more can you ask for? This is one sport that will make you athletic without you having to worry too much about sweating like a mad dog afterwards. Plus, if she’s a newbie, you can always try to impress her. (PS: it’s also one sport where, unless you both are the serious kind of golfer, neither you nor she would feel threatened by some competition).

Book shopping. A person’s choice of books will tell you a lot about his or her personality. And what better way to find this out than to spend book shopping together?! Scout around all the most unusual most hidden book stores in your town or get on a road trip in search of the rarest book finds. You can opt to go exchange your book finds later!

Join a fun run. Not a runner? You don’t have to be one! The great part about this date is that you can spend several pre-dates beforehand, aka training and practice, before the big fun run day (or night). You are not only getting to spend some quality time with each other; you are also helping each other transition to fairly healthier lives. What’s there to ask for?

Volunteer for a local charity even just for a day. Why don’t you make a good use of your date and pay it forward? Take time out, together, in helping out a local charity. It doesn’t matter what it is; you could be at the Soup Kitchen, be a big brother and big sister for some orphanage, or even at the local animal shelter. This nails quite a lot of stuff too: you get to spend time together, you get to help in your own little ways, and you get to judge each other’s characters.